Nutrition Support Program for Pregnant Women, Adolescent Girls, and Children Under 2 in Dhaka Slums Improving Pregnancy Weight, Dietary Diversity, and Child Growth Through Counseling and Supplements

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to develop a sustainable nutrition service platform to improve pregnancy weight gain, dietary diversity in adolescent girls, and proper physical growth in children under 2 years living in slums of Dhaka city. It addresses major public health challenges including food insecurity, stunted growth, and micronutrient deficiencies among these vulnerable groups. The project also explores the impact of nutrition and hygiene counseling on maternal health, adolescent nutrition, child growth, and water, sanitation, and hygiene WASH practices. The intervention includes intensive nutrition counseling, micronutrient supplementation, and growth monitoring. Pregnant women receive monthly dietary counseling, daily iron-folate and calcium supplements, and antenatal care visits until delivery. Adolescent girls participate in twice-monthly nutrition education sessions and receive iron, folate, and zinc supplements. Children under 2 years undergo monthly growth monitoring, feeding counseling, WASH education, treatment for malnutrition, and, if severely stunted, receive daily egg and micronutrient powder supplementation for specified periods. Community participation efforts focus on improving sanitation and water supply. Participants will be monitored regularly through dietary recalls, growth measurements, hemoglobin levels, and maternal WASH practice assessments over periods ranging from 6 months to 1 year. Data will be collected from both intervention and control areas to evaluate outcomes such as pregnancy weight gain, dietary diversity, child growth, and improved hygiene practices. The study includes baseline surveys, counseling sessions, supplementation, and follow-up assessments to measure impact and adherence. The total study duration varies by participant group and intervention phase.

Nutri-CAP: Nutrition for Children, Adolescent Girls, and Pregnant Women in Slums of Dhaka City